We still cannot compete

The Trans Pacific Partnership Should be Voted Down – No more bad trade deals!

Since the following article was written in 2007, the U.S. trade deficit has grown by $12.4 trillion. Acceptance of the Trans Pacific Partnership will only increase multinational corporate pillaging of ours, and the world’s poorest economies.

Politics – The March of Folly continues with free trade advocates

December 13, 2007

In 1984, Barbara W. Tuchman wrote the book, March of Folly. Tuchman studies events in history when governments acted contrary to their own self-interest and the interest of the people when better and clear alternatives existed. Why did the people of Troy drag the Trojan Horse inside their walls despite every reason to suspect a Greek trick? Tuchman says, “Mankind, it seems, makes a poorer performance of government than almost any other activity. Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to the way reason points and enlightened self-interest suggests?”

I believe the exploitative Wall Street version of Globalization is the greatest threat on the globe to our economic and social well-being.

Both Republican and Democrat candidates are acting the fool when it comes to abusive corporate power and trade. We are losing our freedom and our country to this business/government partnership.

Responding to the question on trade during the Iowa debate, John McCain said he was the biggest free trader we have ever met. Mitt Romney said the U.S. can compete with anyone.

No, we cannot compete.

We value our land, our farms and our environment. We want to grow things. We want to feed ourselves.

Dallas, South Dakota farm during the dust bowl, 1936

Abandoned farmstead, St. Francis, KS 2007

No, we cannot compete.

We want to make things here at home. We need living wage jobs.

Soon to be shuttered Colorado Springs Intel plant. Production is moving to China.

Closed tool and die company, Colorado Springs

No, we cannot compete.

We value our health and the health of our children and feel responsible for the world we leave them.

Tenant farmer’s children, younger one with rickets from malnutrition. Poor, eroded land the result of cotton-tobacco culture near Wadesboro, North Carolina, 1938. From In This Proud Land: America 1935- 1943 as Seen in the FSA Photographs

No, we cannot compete.

We value our communities.

Farming community of St. Francis, KS 2006

No, we cannot compete.

We value our infrastructure.

Collapsed rail line, St. Francis, KS 2006

Collapsed bridge, Minneapolis, MN 2007

No, we cannot compete.

We want all people to live with dignity.

Living quarters of sweat shop workers on the outskirts of Beijing, China 2003

“Globalization” is the road to a world of serfdom.

Under the current model of “Globalization”, where powerful corporations rule, searching the world for the hungriest people that will work the cheapest, people in other countries can’t compete either.

"An eye opening and heart touching portrait of a culture and industry that we are in great danger of losing. This book will help readers understand the urgency of preserving the Western ranchlands inhabited by families and rural communities that provide nourishing food for our nation, preserve a healthy natural environment and entrust that great American values will endure." - Mike Callicrate

An Endangered Species

Every month 1,000 ranches go out of production.
It's the national security issue that no one is talking about.

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Food Policy & Law

by John Munsell | Oct 11, 2011 OpinionEditor's Note: This is the first part in a series written by John Munsell of Miles City, MT, who explains how the small meat plant his family owned for 59 years ran afoul of USDA's meat inspection program. The events he writes about began a decade ago, but remain relevant today.

They say that confession is good for the soul. I've been involved in a series of ugly events since my plant in 2002 recalled 270 pounds of ground beef contaminated with E.coli O157:H7 and now want to admit the embarrassing truth for public review. more